Darien edges Ridgefield

Jon Chik

Updated 10:33 pm, Saturday, October 26, 2013

Darien high school quarterback Silas Wyper throws the ball downfield during a football game against Ridgefield high school played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013

Photo: Mark Conrad

Darien high school quarterback Silas Wyper throws the ball...

Ridgefield high school quarterback Ryan Dunn looks for a receiver as Darien high school's Spencer McKeough chases him down during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school quarterback Ryan Dunn looks for a receiver...

Darien high school's Myles Ridder running with the ball during a football game against Ridgefield high school played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Darien high school's Myles Ridder running with the ball during a...

Darien high school's Jack Garfield sacks Ridgefield high school quarterback Ryan Dunn during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013

Photo: Mark Conrad

Darien high school's Jack Garfield sacks Ridgefield high school...

Darien high school quarterback Silas Wyper looks downfield for a receiver during a football game against Ridgefield high school played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013

Photo: Mark Conrad

Darien high school quarterback Silas Wyper looks downfield for a...

Darien high school's Myles Ridder brings down Ridgefield high school running back Will Bonaparte during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Darien high school's Myles Ridder brings down Ridgefield high...

Darien high school's John Reed tackles Ridgefield high school's running back James Turner during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013

Photo: Mark Conrad

Darien high school's John Reed tackles Ridgefield high school's...

Ridgefield high school quarterback Ryan Dunn runs with the ball during a football game against Darien high school played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013.
Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school quarterback Ryan Dunn runs with the ball...

Ridgefield high school quarterback Ryan Dunn looks for a receiver downfield during a football game against Darien high school played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school quarterback Ryan Dunn looks for a receiver...

Darien high school quarterback Silas Wyper scambles to get away from Ridgefield high school's Michael Nyland during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Darien high school quarterback Silas Wyper scambles to get away...

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football...

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football...

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football...

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013

Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football...

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football...

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football...

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football...

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football...

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013

Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football...

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football...

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football game played at Darien high school, Darien, CT on Saturday, October, 26th, 2013
Photo: Mark Conrad

Ridgefield high school against Darien high school during a football...

DARIEN -- Football is a funny game. When everything's on the line in the form of a potential game-winning touchdown drive, it could all be up to you, or you could be rendered to a spectator depending on whether you play offense or defense.

In the case of Darien's Myles Ridder, however, the Darien senior was probably going to be on the field either way. The running back/linebacker was as dominant as usual on defense while also seeing his offensive role expand in his team's 19-14 nail-biting victory over visiting Ridgefield on Saturday.

The Tigers needed to go 78 yards in 2:30 if they were to steal a victory from the Blue Wave, but Ridder and the Darien defense eventually forced a turnover on downs after three straight incompletions, including a fourth-and-13 at the Darien 41.

"Coming into the game, I sort of knew I was going to get a few more touches with a few banged up players. We knew we were going to pound the ball a little bit more because we figured they would try to cover Nick (Lombardo)," said Ridder, who had 11 carries for 64 yards and a score.

Three straight kneel downs by the Blue Wave (6-1) ran the clock down to four seconds, but Darien still had to snap the ball on fourth down. Quarterback Silas Wyper burned the final four seconds off the clock before sliding down to seal the win.

Neither team has been any stranger to lighting up the scoreboard, but Ridgefield coach Kevin Callahan was hardly surprised when a defensive struggle ensued.

"We're very similar in a lot of ways: Our offenses, our defenses and the types of kids we have," said Callahan, whose Tigers dipped to 5-2 with the loss. "Field position was an issue all day. I figured it would be (low scoring) because we're so similar in so many ways. It was a real pick em' as far as I was concerned."

Darien kicker Daly Hebert had a huge foot in the win, going two-for-three on field goal attempts while helping the Blue Wave win the battle of field position by registering three touchbacks. Hebert's second field goal was good from 47 yards, giving the Blue Wave a 6-0 lead in the second quarter.

"They're too good to let them hang around; you saw them battling until the end," Darien coach Rob Trifone said. "Our two best inside running backs (Jay Harrison and Myles Ridder) were hurting, and it was a tough day to throw the ball because of the wind."

The Darien offense produced points on its third straight possession when Jay Harrison dove for a 1-yard touchdown -- two plays after Wyper hit Nick Lombardo for a 43-yard gain down to the 3 -- boosting the lead to 12-0 after a failed two-point conversion try.

Ridgefield responded by marching 78 yards in seven plays, capped by an 11-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Dunn to Andrew Chuma, cutting Ridgefield's deficit to 12-7, which was also the score at halftime.

After a Ridgefield punt, Darien went from its own 43 to the Ridgefield six in 10 plays, but a poor snap on third-and-goal resulted in a 13-yard loss, and the ensuing 36-yard field goal attempt was no good.

"I thought our defense played very well and our offense missed several opportunities to put the game away," Trifone said.

Darien's next possession began at the Ridgefield 18 after a short punt and a penalty, and two plays later, Ridder swept right 15 yards into the end zone, stretching the ball across the goal line.

After the teams traded punts, Ridgefield drove to the Darien 9, where it faced fourth-and-goal. A bad snap forced Dunn to scoop the ball deep in his backfield, but he calmly scrambled to his left and found Erik Weber in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, cutting Darien's lead to 19-14 with 6:45 remaining.

The Darien offense chewed up some clock before turning it over on downs at the Tigers' 22. Ridgefield managed four first downs on its final drive, but it wasn't enough.

"These are the games we love, especially knowing our defense can still stand against strong teams," Ridder said. "We knew defensively we had to go back out and make one more stop. We knew it was our time to make a stand."